If you’re planning to throw a wild game feast celebrating the spoils of your fall elk harvest, don’t overlook a few finger foods, or in more fashionable terms, Hors d’oeuvres.
These savory bites are served in small portions and designed to be eaten by hand, keeping your guest’s cravings sustained and their taste buds tingling until the main course is ready to be devoured.
Elk chimichangas and crispy Elk taquitos are a few of my favorite Hors d’oeuvres that use similar ingredients and seasonings, making the prep work and cook times less of a hassle when entertaining friends and family.
Using a blender, add all ingredients and blend on high for 15 to 20 seconds until smooth.
Pour crema into a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance the flavor.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the ground elk, cooking until browned. Stir in the diced mild green chiles, chili powder, cumin, granulated garlic powder, Mexican oregano and kosher salt. Remove from heat and drain liquid.
Place the flour tortillas on a work surface and spread ground elk equally in the center of each tortilla. Top with shredded cheese and green onions. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling. Starting at the bottom, fold the tortilla up and over the filling and continue rolling all the way up. Secure the seam shut with a toothpick.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until 350° F. Cooking in batches, fry the chimichangas until golden brown on the bottom, about one to two minutes. Turn the chimichangas over and fry until golden brown. Remove and set on paper towels to drain. Remove toothpicks, top with grated parmesan cheese and cut in half to serve.
Plate with cilantro garlic crema.
Ingredients
Elk Chimichangas
- 1 1/2 lbs ground elk
- 7 oz diced mild green chiles
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- 10 flour tortillas, 10-inch
- wooden toothpicks
Cilantro Garlic Crema
- 15 oz crema Mexicana
- 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 red jalapeno with seeds removed, chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Cilantro Garlic Crema
- Using a blender, add all ingredients and blend on high for 15 to 20 seconds until smooth. Pour crema into a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance the flavor.
Elk Chimichangas
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the ground elk, cooking until browned. Stir in the diced mild green chiles, chili powder, cumin, granulated garlic powder, Mexican oregano and kosher salt. Remove from heat and drain liquid.
- Place the flour tortillas on a work surface and spread ground elk equally in the center of each tortilla. Top with shredded cheese and green onions. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling. Starting at the bottom, fold the tortilla up and over the filling and continue rolling all the way up. Secure the seam shut with a toothpick.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until 350° F. Cooking in batches, fry the chimichangas until golden brown on the bottom, about one to two minutes. Turn the chimichangas over and fry until golden brown. Remove and set on paper towels to drain. Remove toothpicks, top with grated parmesan cheese and cut in half to serve. Plate with cilantro garlic crema.